When employees join the Council it is important that they receive a warm welcome and that they undergo a thorough and informative induction process. The responsibility for this lies with the Recruitment Team. Departmental Human Resources (HR) and the employee’s line manager.

This document has been produced to complement induction activity that is currently taking place within the Council and to provide a consistent and efficient approach to the induction of employees joining the London Borough of Merton. | Contents | Page | |----------------------------------------------|------| | Recruitment Team’s Responsibilities | 3 | | Departmental HR’s responsibilities | 4 | | Professional Development Folder | 5 | | Departmental Induction | 6 | | Line Manager’s Responsibilities | 7 | Recruitment Team’s Responsibilities

The Recruitment Team will be the first point of access for the employee at the application stage of the employment process. It is therefore important that a positive relationship is initiated and maintained throughout all stages of communication.

The responsibilities of the Recruitment Team in the induction process are as follows:

**Before the employee arrives:**

1. To open a file for new starter upon receipt of *Successful Candidate Form* from the manager.

2. To send two copies of provisional contract including full Terms and Conditions of employment) to the candidate including *Banking/Pensions Form* and *Emergency Contact Form*. If not already produced at interview, to ask candidate to submit the following to the Recruitment Team as part of clearances:

   - Original proof of National insurance Number (P60, P45, wage slip);
   - Original proof of birth certificate or passport and an additional form of identification such as a driving licence;
   - Original copies of any qualifications required;
   - Completion of medical questionnaire (returned to Occupational health via the Recruitment Team);
   - Original proof of professional registration (where necessary)

3. To ensure that once all necessary clearances have been obtained, the recruiting manager signs off paperwork and agrees start date for new candidate.

4. To write to candidate confirming start date, including invitation to Corporate Induction Course, and Employee Handbook.

5. To order name badge for employee and process identification card if required.

6. To enter employee onto recruitment module of PS Enterprise (HR database) and e-mail respective Departmental HR section.

7. To hand over employee’s file to Departmental HR as soon as possible ensuring that Departmental HR have access to files prior to employee’s start date. Departmental HR’s Responsibilities

Departmental HR is responsible for dealing with operational personnel issues within their specific department. If an employee has an HR query, their first point of contact is their Departmental HR section.

The responsibilities of the Departmental HR in the induction process are as follows:

**Before the employee starts:**

1. When prompted by the recruiting line manager, to ensure that the job is correctly set up on PaHRis (job number, costing, job details, pay, allowances etc), before the recruitment process starts.

2. To generate an employee ID on PaHRis when prompted by Recruitment Team.

3. To alert Payroll of the employee’s pay-point via e-mail.

**When the employee starts:**

1. To ensure, where realistic, that employee meets with a Departmental HR officer within his/her first 2 days to give them their leave card and Personal Development Folder (if not scheduled to be given at a later HR or departmental introduction).

2. To ensure that the employee is aware of Merton’s policies and procedures including those concerned with IT use, and that they complete a *Policies and Procedures Form* (Appendix 8) within their first w weeks in the authority.

3. To inform the employee of Departmental HR an answer any questions that the employee may have.

4. To ensure that *Probationary Review Forms 1, 2, 3 4,5 and 6* are completed, normally at week 1, week 4, week 8, week 14, week 20 and week 26 respectively (see probation policy) and returned to Departmental HR. Where this is not the case, to chase line managers.

5. To check that, within his/her first six months, the employee attends:

   - The Corporate Induction;
   - A departmental induction
   - A Health and Safety course (General/Manager);
   - An Equal Opportunities/valuing Diversity course;
   - A Recruitment and Selection course (where necessary)

   **NB. The employee is responsible for co-ordination his/her learning and development programme with assistance from the line manager where required.**

6. To complete a *New Starter Induction Progress Form* (Appendix 6) for the employee and attaché to file. After 6 months probationary period:

7. Where appropriate, to issue employee with letter confirming successful completion of probationary period.

8. To send the employee the *Induction Evaluation Form* (appendix 5) when their appointment is confirmed and ensure it is returned.

**Professional Development Folder**

All employees should be issued with a Professional Development folder within their first 2 days of employment at Merton if there is not already a compulsory departmental or Department HR introductory session arranged.

The Professional Development folder is intended to provide employees with information about the Council and their respective department and to provide a place to record learning and development. For non-office based employees for whom a Professional Development folder is not felt appropriate, there must be provision for recording learning and development.

The Professional Development Folder should include:

- Departmental welcome letter
- Information about the Council and the Journey to Excellence
- Departmental overview: core functions and structure charts (if available)
- List of policies/forms on HR intranet
- Declaration of confidentiality (when required)
- Departmental Service Plan (or direction to document on intranet)
- Person specification/job description/copy of contract
- A section for appraisal documentation
- A section to log training and development (courses attended, certificates etc)

Any additional department information felt to be of relevance should also be included at the discretion of the department.

For employees who **do not** have Intranet access, a more comprehensive Professional Development Folder should be issued including the new Employee Induction information that is available on the HR Intranet.

**NB. It is not necessary to include copies of policies that are available on the HR intranet if the employee has intranet access. A list of the policies is available is sufficient to ensure against paper wastage.**

Professions Development Folders should ideally be white A4 folders. The cover (Appendix 7) should be inserted in the front of the folder. Departments are able to continue to use existing front covers and versions of the document. The attached version should be considered when supplies are renewed, however, Departmental Induction

Departmental HR should ensure that all employees attend a structured departmental induction session within their first three months of employment at the Council. It is recommended that departmental inductions last for 2/3 hours and that the Director attends to introduce him/herself.

The purpose of departmental induction is to:

- Welcome employees to their specific department;
- Provide an overview of the departmental structure;
- Outline departmental priorities and achievements;
- Provide an opportunity to meet other new starters within the department;
- Provide an opportunity for employees to ask any questions; Line Manager’s Responsibilities

The employee’s line manager is responsible for overseeing the employee’s induction and ensuring that no part of it is overlooked. The line manager should ensure that the employee settles into their new post and that he/she is supported throughout the probationary period, addressing any obstacles where necessary.

The responsibility of the line manager in the induction process are as follows:

**Before the employee starts:**

01. To inform Departmental Hr that they are recruiting to a job to ensure that the job is correctly set up on PaHRis (ie. Job number, costing, hob details, pay, allowances etc) before the recruitment process commences.

02. Before commencing the recruitment process, to ask Departmental Hr to check the job description, person specification, advertisement and job vacancy form.

03. To organise card key where required.

04. For non-office based employees, to make sure that the correct protective clothing and necessary tools and equipment are organised.

05. For office-based employees, to carry out a workstation assessment and organise a suitable and tidy workstation including adequate supplies of stationery and office equipment.

06. Where required to raise the necessary Service Request Form (SRF) for IT to set-up PC, e-mail account and internet access, taking into account any special needs such as visual, audio or physical disability.

07. Where required, to inform all systems administrators so that the employee is set up on any other necessary system (such as FMIS).

08. To raise the necessary SRF for the employee to have any other IT facility such as telephone, mobile phone, personal organiser, IT access from home or laptop. To arrange any IT training needs identified during the interview process.

09. To update the intranet telephone directory where required.

10. To send a ‘looking forward to seeing’ you letter including an explanation of where new staff should report to and at what time.

11. To identify and brief a workplace buddy if it is felt that this would enhance the employee’s induction process. When an employee starts:

12. To ensure that the ‘Getting Started’ checklist (Appendix 9) is issued to the employee and is completed (adapted as appropriate) during the induction process. Some aspects of the checklist and the induction may be delegated to other colleagues if appropriate but it is imperative that the employee is not left to induct him/her self.

13. To ensure that a basic Health and Safety induction is carried out on the employee first day. This must include fire an emergency procedures, first aid and safety rules and regulations, and access to and discussion of the risk assessment for the post where applicable. The employee must also be told what the fire alarm sounds like and what to do if it goes off.

14. To ensure that the employee has a full understanding of the Probation Policy.

15. To carry our a Work Station Assessment, and identify and address any special needs that arise.

16. To direct employees to the New Employee Induction information on the HR Intranet pages if the employee has Intranet access. Where this is not the case, Departmental HR will include the New Employee Induction information in the employee’s Professional Development Folder.

17. To provide new staff with a copy of any specific work/team manuals or folders.

18. To arrange an induction timetable that includes opportunities for the employee to attend meetings, work shadow and meet with appropriate colleagues within the department and externally.

19. To ensure that 6 reviews have been arranged with the employee throughout the induction period. These should normally be at week 1, week 4, week 8, week 14, week 20, and week 26. These meetings should be scheduled on the employee’s first day. The purpose of the meetings is to discuss his/her progress and performance and ensure that any difficulties that emerge are addressed immediately.

20. To make sure that the employee is fully aware of the learning and development courses that he/she must undergo during their first six months of employment, as identified below, and to provide them with assistance required to make the necessary arrangements.

| Corporate Induction | Corporate Human Resources, ext 4147 | |---------------------|-------------------------------------| | Departmental Induction | Department HR | | General health and Safety Awareness (for managers) | Health & Safety Administration, ext 3384 | | Equal Opportunities/Valuing Diversity course | Corporate Human resources ext 4147 | | Recruitment and Selection course (where necessary) | Corporate Human resources ext 4147 |